Steering mechanism for motor-vehicles



L. C. SHARP.

STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18. 1916. 136,73? at nted Aug- 9, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Lee C- Shar a, awuwwbo'z L. C. SHARP.

STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18. 1916. v

- Patented Aug. 9,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Application filed'February 18, 1916. Serial No. 79,193.

To all w/iomit may concern: Y

Be it known that T, LEE C. SHARP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plattsmouth, in the county of Cass and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering Mechanism for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto steering mechanism for motor vehicles, and particularly to worm-and-gear devices for providing an irreversible speed reducing connection ;between the steering-post, or shaft carrying the hand-wheel, andthe connecting-rodextending to the steering-knuckles on which the front wheels of the vehicle are mounted. It is the object of my invention to provide a'simple and inexpensive device of this character, especially adapted to be substituted for the plain crank connection employed on certain motor vehicles, and having simple and positive means of adjustment for taking up wear of the working parts. A further object of my invention is to provide attaching means for the casing or housing, by which the same may ;be securely and firmlyconnected both to the side-frame of the vehicle and to the crank-case of the engine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a, device embodying my invention, as seen from ,thefinner side, or that adjoining the engine, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 3 is a viewcthereof as proj ected to a plane parallel withthe steeringpost, -Fig. 4.- is a detail section on the vertical plane of the line lat of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a detail section on the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a detail section on the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 7 is a detail'section on the plane of the line 77 of Fig. 5.

The illustrated embodiment for my invention is especially designed for use on the well-known Ford motor vehicles, and is intended to be substituted for the plain crank device commonly usedv at the lower end of the steering-post in these vehicles. There are shown in the. drawings certain of the ordinary parts of such a vehicle, said parts being those associated with my device and with which it is connected when in use. The parts referred to are the lower endportion of the steering-post or shaft 8, adja-.

cent partsofi the throttle control rod 9 and spark control rod 10, a part of the side-frame 11 of the vehicle, a part of the crank-case Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An a, rear.

"12 of the engine, a part of the connecting-rod 13 whlch extends to the cross-rod between the steering-lmuckles, and the crank 1a which actuates said connecting-rod l3 and which is ordinarily connected directly with the lower end of the steering-post 8.

In the construction of my steering mechanism i provide a bearing 15 for a part of the" steering-post 8 adjacent to the lower" end thereof, said bearing having flanges 16 and 17 integral therewith, which are secured to the side-frame 11 by bolts 18 and 19, as shown. At'the upper end of the bearing 15 the same has laterally extending lugs for the support ofthe rods 9 and 10. At the lower end the bearing 15 is enlarged and extended, as shown clearly in Fig. 4 to form a cylindrical casing or housing 20 large enough to inclose the worm 21. The latter is secured on the steering-post S, fitting'onto a conical portion thereof, being held'in fixed rotational relation thereto by a key 22 as shown in Fig. 6, and being retained longitudinally by means of a nut 23 which is screwed onto the threaded end of the steering-post. The lower end of the housing 20 is normally closed by a screw-plug 24, and a screw 25 extends through said; plug so as to bear against the lower end of the steering-post 8, said screw forming an adjustable endthrust bearing for the post, and being retained in adjusted positions by means of a locknut 26 disposed thereon, asshown.

The worm 21 meshes at one side with a worm-wheel 27 of which the axis isat right angles with that of the worm and steeringpost. The worm-wheel has a cylindrical shank orstem 28 which is coaxial and in tegral therewith and extends downwardly therefrom. The lower end of said stem is of the same form as the lower end of the steering-post 8, having a conical portion on p which the hub of the crank 14 is fitted, and a threaded end-portion on which a nut 29 is screwed to hold the crank 011 the conical portion. The worm-wheel is inclosed by a casing or housing 30, which is integral with the worm-casing 20 and has a smaller cylindrical part 31 extending down from the lower axial end thereof. The upper axial end of the worm-wheel housing 30 is normally closed by a plate 32 which is secured thereon by screws 33. On the inner side of said plate 32 is a boss 34 which bears against the upper side of the worm-wheel, as best shown in F ig. 5. The worm-wheel stem 28 fits revolubly within the eccentric bore ofa bearing-sleeve 85, and said sleeve fits revolublyin the housing part 31 that extends downwardly from the housing 30. At-the s upper end of the sleeve'85 is a projectlng flange or collar 36'which fits into a corre- V spending recess in the bore of the sleevehousing 31. In one side of said sleeve-hous- 7 111g there isa circumferentlal slot 37, and a screw; 38 extends through saidslot and lnto the side of the bearing-sleeve 35. Under the head ofsaid screw there :is an arcuate washer 1 39 which is wider than theslot and bears and away from the axis of the worm and steering-post, so that the. wormandworinwheel'may be adjusted-toproper working relation regardless of wear of the parts.

,In the outer surface ofthe sleeve 35 near the upper end thereof is an annular groove 40, and at one side there is a hole 4L1 extending in from-said groove to the eccentric bore of the sleeve, in which the ste1n 28 is'held'. On theupper side-of the housing-31, at a pointf longitudinally coincident with the groove 4:0,the're is a threaded opening for an OllTCllP'lQ, from Which oil may pass into the groovefand thence through'the hole ll to lubricate the stem-28. On the upper side of thexbearing 15 there'is placed an oil-cup .43, and it will be seengthat-oil therefrom will} lubricate the engaging surfaces of said bearing and the steer1ng-post 8,xwh 1le any excess of lubricant will pass down into the worm-housing 20. The space within the 1 housings 2.0: and 80 maybe filled with hard oil or ,grease to provide a lubricant'for the wormvand worm-wheel,inthe usual manner,

and apart, of such lubricant may work down around thei'stem 28 to assist in the lubrication of'th e same. a

On the side of the worm-wheel hot-sing 30' adjacent to the engine crank-case there The lug M-is so arranged that the other end of said link may be connected witlifthe crank-case by means ofone of the'bolts 4L7 thereof; The casing for the worm and gear,

formed by the parts 15, 20, 30 and'iil, is thus 7 i securely attached both to theside-franie 11 enginefthe latter connection being such'that it will materially assist in the support of the steering-gear but will permit slight d'is V placement or variation in therelations of the frame and engine.

It may benotedthahby' the provision of, the stem 28 integral iththe worm-wheel, thelatterisadequately supported, and, al-f though 'it has a 1 supporting bearing on only one-side thereof, thelength' ofthestem may 7 be such as to provide ample, bearing; sinrface,

'of the vehicle and to the crank-case of the 1 Having the bearing for theworm-wh'eel stem upon only one side of the 'wheel-facili'- tatesthe adjustment thereof, so-that by'm'ere rotation ofr the single eccentric bearingsleeve the worm-Wheel -is moved-toward or away from the wo-rin= to a relation with respect. thereto. r Now, having described my invention,'what 1 claim and desire to; secure by Letters Pat ent is In a steering mechanism for motor ve" hlcles, the comb1nat1on "w1th a steering-post 1 having a tapered lower end-portiom'of' a worm fitting upon said end-portion, means l for removably securing the, worm thereon,

a worm-gear meshing with worm and having an integral axial stem, said stem'v having;

a tapered end-portion of the same form as it the end-portion of the steering-post, a crank having ataper-bored-hubadapted to fit upon the tapered endeportion "of either said stem or said steering-post, means-'forremovabl y securing said crank upon said end-portion of the stem, a housinghavin'g'bearings for sa d steering-postandworm-wheel stem and 'IIIClOSlIlg said worm and worm-wheel;

r L 0.- sininr 56 is alug 4A withwhich one endof a short flat link45lisconnected by means of a bolt 46.

75 r proper working 1 

